Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, 6 April, slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee saying that her appeal to the Muslim minority against the division of their votes proves that she has lost the confidence of her vote bank.
While addressing a rally in North Bengal’s Cooch Behar district, the PM said, “Recently, you appealed for Muslim unity and said their votes should not divide. It shows that Muslim vote bank, which you considered as your strength, has slipped out of our hands. It shows that you have lost the poll,” ANI reported.
The PM continued to slam the CM, saying, "Didi, you are abusive towards the Election Commission. But had we asked the Hindus to unite and vote for BJP, we would have got eight or ten notices from the Election Commission,” NDTV reported.
This comes following the entry of two Muslim leaders – AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and a religious leader from Furfura Sharif – in the polls.
As the third phase of the eight-phase West Bengal Assembly election is in progress, the PM appealed to the voters, saying that he would return their love with interest “in the form of development.”
Responding to Banerjee’s jibe on the BJP proclaiming elections results as if they are gods, he said, “Didi has been asking "Is BJP God that it already knows it is winning polls?" I want to say to her that we're normal people engaged in the service of public.”
Saying that it it certain that she will lose, PM Modi said, “Didi, you have scored an own-goal (like in football) in these elections.”
(With inputs from ANI, NDTV)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)